Making a very pure fish oil part of your daily diet is an excellent solution to ensuring your body gets the necessary Omega-3 fatty acids and avoids the ever-increasing toxin levels found in fish. However, giving up fish entirely is not always possible (although it's a must for pregnant and nursing women and small children) or desired. I, for one, enjoy fish. If fish is a part of your diet, there are ways to minimize your body's absorption of mercury and other toxins.

One method is binding the mercury so it isn't absorbed into circulation. Metal Magnet from Enzymatic Therapy uses the key ingredient, purified Humifulvate. Obtained from a unique, spring-fed Hungarian peat deposit over 3,000 years old, four decades of scientific research shows that Humifulvate binds to heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium, allowing the body to expel them more easily. When taken with fish meals, this agent will help limit the amount of heavy metals in your body.

Some probiotics, while supporting and maintaining a healthy balance of intestinal flora, also work to bind mercury and carry it out of the system. Studies suggest that endogenous probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, can play an important role in supporting the body's natural detoxification. Ther-Biotic Detoxification Support, from Klaire Laboratories, can assist in this process by sequestering and inhibiting the uptake of toxins in the gut and facilitating the elimination of toxins and by-products from the intestinal tract. It will also help prevent other pathogenic bacteria and yeast from converting the mercury into an even more toxic form.

If you have already been exposed to mercury and would like to remove it from your system, a very effective approach is to use the Mercury Detox Cocktail recommended by leading environmental medicine authority, Sherry A. Rogers, M.D.

Dr. Rogers' cocktail will help remove mercury from your cells and eliminate it through the kidneys or the liver, then the GI tract. Consider additional fiber, such as Yerba Prima's Colon Care Formula, to help bind the mercury and move it out.

This cocktail can be used one to three times per day and will provide great benefit within a few months. To boost your detoxification, consider adding Dimercaptosuccinic Acid (DMSA). However, this must be used under the guidance of an experienced physician so that you don't remove too many beneficial minerals or detoxify too quickly. To find a naturopathic physician, visit www.naturopathic.org. Many are available for phone consultations.

MERCURY DETOX COCKTAIL

1 tsp. pure vitamin C powder

Lipoic Acid, 600 mg.

Recancostat powder, 800 mg.

One capsule of Tyler's Mercury Detox (however, it is recommended that a physician monitor your Selenium levels so they don't become too elevated)

Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that consuming fish in moderation is safe for pregnant and nursing women and small children, I don't recommend it. Both situations are such vulnerable times in the development of children that it's not worth risking damage to their brain, or their immune and nervous systems.

The rest of us may still benefit from moderate amounts of fish, especially if we limit our absorption of mercury. If you have already been exposed to toxins, through fish consumption, dental amalgams, environmental pollution, etc., then the methods I offered can help rid your body of the metals that can take their toll on your system and compromise your health.

The claims made about specific products throughout this website have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. The product ingredients and images displayed on this website may differ from information contained on or in current product labels.